City Provides Updates on Development Projects

The City of Smyrna provided its residents with an update on the status of several development projects within city limits during the Update 2013 session held at City Hall Wednesday evening.

Mayor Max Bacon told the standing room only crowd that the questions he gets asked the most by citizens are about Jonquil Village and Belmont, and when those projects will be completed or at least begin construction.

Bacon said that one of the biggest misconceptions people hold about the stalled developments in the area is that the city owns the land that the projects are to be built on. In fact, Bacon says, outside parties own some or all of the parcels and have varying relations with the city.

At Belmont, for example, developers Wood Partners and Halpern Enterprises are working to close a deal that will allow Wood to begin construction of 274 multi-family luxury apartments.

Smyrna-Vinings Patch reported in September that a condition of the alternate financing Wood is attempting to secure to make the deal requires that they submit detailed architectural drawings for consideration.

Community Development Director Ken Suddreth said during Wednesday's meeting that the city had received those drawings within the last week, "which is a good sign for the project," he said.

On the other hand, the Florida-based owners of the land slated to become the Jonquil Village development have been harder for the city to work with, Bacon said.

Although the Planning and Zoning Board denied Branch Capital's latest site plan for the development, the project will still be before the Smyrna City Council during their Dec. 2 meeting.

Bacon credited Branch for their tenacity, saying that the firm had almost pulled out of the project entirely around Labor Day, but had "worked their magic" to stay on board and continue working on the site.

Another project Bacon receives a lot of questions about is the Smyrna Grove, formerly the Hickory Lakes Apartment Complex. The city purchased the property and demolished the housing units in 2010 after being approached by the land owners.

Bacon said that the current plans for the site are 220 single-family homes, with an average sale price of $345,000. The mayor said that the development would cause a "halo effect" and become an anchor for the north Smyrna area.

It has been reported that the city stands to lose millions of dollars by selling the property to Vinings' Southeast Capital Companies, but Bacon said he was confident that the city and the taxpayers would eventually earn back all the money put in to buying and tearing down the Hickory Lakes complex.

"It may take 20 years," Bacon said, "but I believe it will happen."

The mayor also touched on the metal skeleton that sits at the intersection of Concord Road and Dunton Street, saying that the site was under contract to the Peacock Partnership until Dec. 31. The developers are slated to bring a medical building to the site. 

To see the update in its entirety, including a question and answer session, please follow this link.